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Who invented gunpowder?

November 4, 2010 by 2016 Revision 5 Comments

Gunpowder commonly known as black powder is made of sulfur, saltpeter and charcoal. The earliest records mention the record of gunpowder in 142 A. D. Though tried, tested and perfected over the time it is believed to have been invented by Chinese around 11th and 12th century. The strength of gunpowder used earlier was not that catastrophic as it is today, it was because of the amount of the saltpeter which was 50% earlier and now is 75%. The Chinese first used the explosive in the fireworks, then in the wars and then the combination was used in primitive rockets. The Chinese tried to keep the gunpowder a secret to themselves but during the war of Song Dynasty the explosive was made known to Islamic and Roman rulers. And this is how it finally spread to the world.

Historians believe that Mongols who conquered both India and China were the ones who brought the recipe of gunpowder to India in the 12th century. Soon the knowledge of gunpowder reached Europe through the silk route and was first used by them in 1346 in the Battle of Crecy.

Both the Chinese and the European inventors invented the cannon which used gunpowder to shoot heavy iron balls in the 13th century.

The gunpowder works with the touch of fire and was used in cannons and guns but it could not make blasts for which the world waited for 500 years till the invention of nitroglycerine.

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Comments

  1. Mason Howard says

    May 9, 2017 at 3:21 pm

    I wish it would show the persons name who invented gun powder. Other than that it is helpful.

    Reply
  2. jasmine says

    June 14, 2017 at 10:49 am

    I would like to know who specifically invented gunpowder. What was their name

    Reply
    • E says

      April 2, 2020 at 4:13 pm

      The creation is not regarded to have been just one person. Multiple Chinese Taoists created it while trying to find a potion to make them immortal.

      Reply
  3. Angela Schmidt says

    October 14, 2019 at 5:47 am

    Gun powder was invented in the 9th Century China and Spread throughout most parts of Eurasia by the end of the 13th century. Originally developed by the Taoists for medicinal purposes, gunpowder was first used for warfare about 904 AD.

    Reply
  4. Richard says

    November 22, 2019 at 3:39 pm

    The reference to gunpowder being know in 142 AD really interests me. Where does this information com from. Does anyone here know or can suggest where to look ?

    Reply

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